Vegas Golden Knights: Three takeaways from preseason finale

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - SEPTEMBER 29: Cody Glass #9 of the Vegas Golden Knights faces off with Logan Couture #39 of the San Jose Sharks during the first period at T-Mobile Arena on September 29, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/NHLI via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - SEPTEMBER 29: Cody Glass #9 of the Vegas Golden Knights faces off with Logan Couture #39 of the San Jose Sharks during the first period at T-Mobile Arena on September 29, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/NHLI via Getty Images)
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – SEPTEMBER 29: Cody Glass #9 of the Vegas Golden Knights faces off with Logan Couture #39 of the San Jose Sharks during the first period at T-Mobile Arena on September 29, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/NHLI via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – SEPTEMBER 29: Cody Glass #9 of the Vegas Golden Knights faces off with Logan Couture #39 of the San Jose Sharks during the first period at T-Mobile Arena on September 29, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by David Becker/NHLI via Getty Images)

The Vegas Golden Knights closed out the preseason with a 5-1 demolition of bitter rivals the San Jose Sharks at T-Mobile Arena on Sunday afternoon.

In what was the final dress rehearsal before the Vegas Golden Knights host the Sharks in their 2019-20 regular season opener on Wednesday, there were plenty of nuggets to digest from what was a truly explosive game.

Despite it still being an exhibition game, the two teams displayed their dislike for one another after combining for a stunning 50 hits and 114 penalty minutes, which has got to be some kind of record for a preseason game.

It was a game that was edgy, fiery, gritty and full of snarl and it sets the scene perfectly for Wednesday when the Knights and the Sharks will do battle in a game that actually counts and will have points on the line.

In other words, the 2019-20 regular season opener is going to be tasty and we haven’t even mentioned the fact that Vegas’ first road trip of the new year happens to be in San Jose on Friday.

In terms of the game itself, it proved to a comfortable cakewalk by the Knights who held a four goal lead thanks to tucks from William Carrier, Jimmy Schuldt, Jonathan Marchessault and Mark Stone. Danil Yurtaykin did get the Sharks on the board but Reilly Smith struck back for the Knights and that completed the scoring.

It was the perfect way to sign off from the preseason and there were a plethora of storylines to unpack from the clash. Here are our three big takeaways from the Vegas Golden Knights’ final exhibition game…